Whilst there is nothing I detest more than huffing and puffing my way through crowds, we had to head to the tourist spots to see what all of the fuss was about. You can’t go to New York and not catch a glimpse of Times Square, or see the skyline from above. As per your Click here for more!]]>

Taxi!

Whilst there is nothing I detest more than huffing and puffing my way through crowds, we had to head to the tourist spots to see what all of the fuss was about. You can’t go to New York and not catch a glimpse of Times Square, or see the skyline from above. As per your recommendations, we took in the view from the top of the Rock – it’s breathtaking. New York is so beautiful, and I’m missing it already!

Our trip to Times Square wasn’t quite as successful – as soon as we arrived the sky turned a scary shade of grey and a storm forced us to spend an hour in Toys R Us (I could think of worse places to be stuck) – perhaps it was a sign! The only solution was to hop over to the nearest cinema and catch a screening of the Great Gatsby (which was great indeed, by the way – a smiling Leonardo Dicaprio is the best kind, don’t you think?).

I took a million more pictures, so I think next I’ll compile a little round-up of the places we ate and things we did (spoiler: lots of walking) for those of you asking. See you then! x

Coat - Zara | Shirt - Zara | Skirt - ASOS
Shoes - Charlotte Olympia | Sunglasses - ASOS | Bag - DvF

One of my favourite things about traveling to a new city is the taxi ride between the airport and the hotel, and New York didn’t disappoint. Miguel and I turned smiling to each other – it was completely as we had imagined, with the laddered fire escapes and yellow school buses.

This time, rather than Click here for more!]]>

Pizza, please!

One of my favourite things about traveling to a new city is the taxi ride between the airport and the hotel, and New York didn’t disappoint. Miguel and I turned smiling to each other – it was completely as we had imagined, with the laddered fire escapes and yellow school buses.

This time, rather than staying in a hotel, we thought we’d try out Airbnb (so much cheaper!) and found ourselves sharing an apartment in Brooklyn, meaning we were immediately thrown in to the New York way of life. Upon arrival, we set down our bags and headed out to take a look around our new neighbourhood.

Brooklyn has that East London thing (that I still don’t really get) of feeling very poor in certain areas, whilst littered with hip bars and places to eat. I think it was at night when we saw it come to life, with people buzzing around these trendy hotspots. We’re not really a ‘hip bar’ kind of couple, and instead opted for a slice of pizza and an early night (jetlag sucks), ready for a day of pounding the Manhattan streets.

P.S – huge thank you to everyone who recommended things to do and place to eat, we would have been lost without you! Can’t wait to share all the good food we ate! Mmmmm x

Blouse - Vintage via ASOS Marketplace | Dungaree Dress - Urban Outfitters
Shoes - French Sole | Sunglasses - ASOS | Bag - ASOS Marketplace

When you tell people you live in London, I’m almost sure they imagine double decker buses, Oxford St and…Eastenders. They couldn’t be further from the truth – London is such a big, beautiful city that I hadn’t even taken the short trip from my house to Highgate Village until this weekend – there is always Click here for more!]]>

Meow

When you tell people you live in London, I’m almost sure they imagine double decker buses, Oxford St and…Eastenders. They couldn’t be further from the truth – London is such a big, beautiful city that I hadn’t even taken the short trip from my house to Highgate Village until this weekend – there is always something new to discover.

Miguel and I walked for just 15 minutes from our new place to Highate Village, and somehow it felt as if we were on holiday. The sun was shining, and the atmosphere was different – quiet and sleepy, like it’s name suggests. Next time we wander in that direction, we’ll be stopping off at the cemetery (not as morbid as it sounds when you see how beautiful it looks).

With the sun out in full force, I took the opportunity to get my pale pins out, accessorised with a pair of cat-faced tights (I’m sure plenty of puzzled passers-by thought I had cat tattoos on my legs – if only). The cats are probably supposed to sit on my knees, but coming from an Asian clothing store, they are a little too short for my legs!

I clip-clopped around the village in my kitten heels before stopping for a few sweet treats and heading home. Ahh, weekends are the best! x

 Jumper - YesStyle | Skirt - Miss Selfridge | Bag - Nelly
Tights - YesStyle | Shoes - Russell & Bromley

I’m sure you’ve seen the ads for the beautiful new See by Chloe perfume by now, right? A group of mischievous girls playing spin the bottle (or perfume in this case) and a game of dares.

Now, it’s been a very long time since my last game of dares (I was lazy and would Click here for more!]]>

See by Chloe

I’m sure you’ve seen the ads for the beautiful new See by Chloe perfume by now, right? A group of mischievous girls playing spin the bottle (or perfume in this case) and a game of dares.

Now, it’s been a very long time since my last game of dares (I was lazy and would always pick truth, whilst other girls would go and talk to boys or something you find equally embarrassing as a teenager  - I was never the most confident) but I thought It seemed like the fitting way to celebrate the new fragrance.

Without further ado…

…To Wear Crazy Heels!

These babies are an ASOS purchase, but sadly have sat at the bottom of my wardrobe for too long, so, being the flats lover that I am, my challenge was to wear them all day! Although, I’ll admit, as soon as it came to leaving the house I chickened out…I didn’t fancy breaking my ankle, that day…

…To Try Something New!

Next up – to try something new! If you happen to have shared a table with me, you’ll probably know that I don’t eat any fruit – at all. The question that always follows that statement is “what – not even Strawberries!?”. Nope, not even strawberries. I figured something so pretty had to taste good, so my next dare was to give them a try. I lasted one bite…sorry guys, they’re not for me!

…To Smile!

Lastly, a dare that I’m still working on – to smile! Sounds silly, but if you read my post on Invisalign, you’ll know why it’s not often you catch a glimpse of my teeth. I’m now on my 4th set of aligners, and already people are telling me they can see a difference and my front teeth aren’t quite so overlapped. Yay! That’s certainly reason enough to smile, don’t you think? I’ll update you all on my progress very soon. Hopefully next time my smile won’t look quite as forced as this one – I need a bit of practice (can you see the horror in my eyes?).

Now it’s your turn!

Because sharing is caring and all that, I’m going to give away a bottle of See by Chloe to one of you lucky folk! It’s such a beautiful fragrance, and I want to challenge you to bring out your mischievous side too! To be in with the chance of winning, leave a comment on this post with a See by Chloe dare for yourself (perhaps you want to give up chocolate for a week, or ask out that guy you keep spotting on the train..its up to you!) For an extra entry, tweet your dare to @wishwishwish, using the hash tag #seebychloéfragrance – I’ll be checking up that you followed through with it ; ) When you’re done, be sure to make a video of your own on the See by Chloe site – check out mine!

The winner will be notified on the 10th of May.

Sorry for the misleading title, if you were expecting skyscrapers and yellow taxis you’ll have to watch this space, as next week I’m heading to NYC for the first time. I’m stupidly excited! I know I’m going to fall in love with it – any New Yorkers reading are probably giggling already Click here for more!]]>

I want your tips!

Sorry for the misleading title, if you were expecting skyscrapers and yellow taxis you’ll have to watch this space, as next week I’m heading to NYC for the first time. I’m stupidly excited! I know I’m going to fall in love with it – any New Yorkers reading are probably giggling already at my rose tinted glasses, but I have a feeling that it’s going to win my heart.

I’m not usually one for doing much research beforehand. Generally on a first trip I find it best not to have a to-do list as long as your arm, as rushing around never works out for the best. But as Miguel and I are only in the city for 3 days before heading over to Las Vegas to visit his family, I thought I’d turn to you knowledgeable lot for your top tips so we’re certain to use our time efficiently. What are your must-dos and must-sees? Anything from places to eat to cute shops, I want to hear it all!

If you have a New York guide on your blog, do pop the link in a comment. In return I’ll be sure to hunt down a few hidden gems myself and post them up here. See you in NYC! x

I suppose it’s time to phase out these dark outfits, but I can’t help but grab a jumper every morning, despite seeing the blue skies outside. I’m usually the first to get my legs out as soon as the sun shows up, but this year I’ve been a bit reluctant. I opted for Click here for more!]]>

Remind me, again…

I suppose it’s time to phase out these dark outfits, but I can’t help but grab a jumper every morning, despite seeing the blue skies outside. I’m usually the first to get my legs out as soon as the sun shows up, but this year I’ve been a bit reluctant. I opted for a pair of skin-toned tights a few days ago, and couldn’t stop peering down at the sad shade of grey that my legs seem to have turned. The countdown to my trip to the US is now at 14 days, and I can’t wait for the Vegas sunshine to remind me how to dress for summer. I surprise myself every season when the weather changes and I realise I don’t have a clue what I’m doing…

You’ll forgive me for my furry jumper when I tell you that these pictures were taken on a stroll through town when I was home over Easter. Miguel wanted to head out and take pictures with his Yashica, so I stole it as a prop, naturally (it’s a blogger thing). We took these pictures near the church – the very place my grandparents were married, my parents were married and where almost every other family occasion has taken place. It was ever-so-peaceful until a colourful character turned up, calling Miguel David Bailey and asking him endless questions about his pretty camera. Ahh, Shepton Mallet, you never change! x

Jumper - YesStyle | Trousers - Primark | Shoes - YesStyle | Bag - Moschino Cheap & Chic

Not another ‘What’s in my bag’ post, I hear you cry! Not quite…! To celebrate the 10 year anniversary of their iconic 24h bag, Gerard Darel tasked 10 bloggers with shooting a bag from each of their successful years, inspired it’s ethos.

My pretty new companion is a limited edition reproduction Click here for more!]]>

24 Hours with ‘Mon 24h Darel’

Not another ‘What’s in my bag’ post, I hear you cry! Not quite…! To celebrate the 10 year anniversary of their iconic 24h bag, Gerard Darel tasked 10 bloggers with shooting a bag from each of their successful years, inspired it’s ethos.

My pretty new companion is a limited edition reproduction of their 2003 classic, so I first thought of shooting something in the style of 2003 – but I’m not sure anybody needs reminding of how they dressed as a 13 year old. Baggy jeans, band t-shirt and endless button badges don’t really do it for me anymore! So, instead I thought I’d share 24 hours (almost!) with my 24h bag! Without further ado…

Morning

Since starting work full time, Saturdays have become the best thing ever. This Saturday morning was spent like many others -  a lie in before grabbing a bowl of porridge and watching TV with Miguel (this week’s morning entertainment was a whole 3 episodes of The Office…oops). Sound familiar?

Then I popped on a pair of jeans and a top, got ready and grabbed everything I could possibly need for the day to put in my 24h bag. The perfect sized bag for a day of adventures!

Afternoon

Next stop was the local farmers market with Miguel. We had a budget of £20 and came out with a bunch of flowers, pasta, a homemade sausage roll, a beautiful cake to share and some apple juice. Lunch was served! I carried home my blooms in my 24h bag and we enjoyed their company as we munched on our cake.

I didn’t realise it at the time, but my outfit was far more 2003 than I had planned – I spent my early teenage years in flared and bootcut jeans. Even my school trousers had to be tight at the top and massive at the bottom, adequately covering my scuffed shoes. My MiH Marrakesh jeans are the perfect grown-up substitute, don’t you think?

Evening

We spent the evening doing our favourite Saturday night activity – catching a film at the cinema! We hopped on a bus into town and stopped for a bite to eat before doing a little sale shopping (I picked up these beauts!). Then it was off to Leicester Square, avoiding the sea of tourists by using the quiet routes. My 24h had one last task for the day – sneaking in the bag of popcorn we bought beforehand! Oops ; )

Win!

Anybody else have 24h Darel story? You can be in with the chance of winning a brand new bag by simply posting a snap of your bag on Instagram, tagged with #MON24HDAREL – see other entries on the Gerard Darel Facebook page. Good luck! x

On a whirlwind trip to Paris, I was transported to the magical world of Nina Ricci, celebrating the launch of the latest in the series of magical perfumes – Nina L’eau. I’m going to sound full of cliché again, as always when I wax lyrical about my favourite city, but I almost felt Click here for more!]]>

…With Nina L’eau

On a whirlwind trip to Paris, I was transported to the magical world of Nina Ricci, celebrating the launch of the latest in the series of magical perfumes – Nina L’eau. I’m going to sound full of cliché again, as always when I wax lyrical about my favourite city, but I almost felt as if I was in the advert when I was transported to a secret place in Paris. I’d only been briefed to wear a floaty, pale dress, and I opted for this Nishe number that wouldn’t be out of place at a prom. I slipped it on, backcombed and pinned my hair before heading out to play princess for the day.

With all the whispering and secrecy in the advert for the fragrance, (which is totally one of my favourite perfume ads ever, have you seen it?!) it made sense to take photographs amongst the hidden treasures of Paris. We all know about the Eiffel tower,Champs-Élysées and hilly Montmartre, so it was a delight to discover places off the beaten track, and I hope you enjoy them too!

My location was revealed to be Le Square René Viviani, the gardens in which the oldest tree in Paris lives. Since 1601 it has witnessed countless first kisses and goodbyes, as well as a little heartache after surviving bombing in the first world war. A Parisian institution, it is tended to year round by a team of gardners, ensuring that it continues to blossom for centuries to come.

Les Jardins

After taking my official photo in front of the tree, it was time to head to another secret de Paris (after changing in to a pair of flat shoes, naturellement). It was time for my new blogger friends Eugenia and Lia to have their picture taken at Les Jardins du Musee Carnavalet, but the location was so wonderful that I couldn’t help but hijack and take a few of my own. This beautiful building in the heart of the Marais district houses the history of the city dating back to to the 19th century. It’s former resident, the Marquise de Sévigné, an influential social, political and literary figure in the 17th century is to thank for the beautiful bushes, twirled like a maze on the ground. A true secret garden!

If all this talk of romantic, secret places in Paris hasn’t whet your appetite for Nina’s latest fragrance, I’ve got some pictures from the magical launch event coming soon – I even got to hold a snowy owl! x

Pah! That’s a lie if ever I told one. Anybody that knows me is more than aware of my obsession for all things junk food – as if it wasn’t evident enough in my 5-minute burger recipe post! So when I saw this silly slogan sweater dress thing on my Click here for more!]]>

Never to Eat Junk Food Again…

Pah! That’s a lie if ever I told one. Anybody that knows me is more than aware of my obsession for all things junk food – as if it wasn’t evident enough in my 5-minute burger recipe post! So when I saw this silly slogan sweater dress thing on my fave Asian clothing store, YesStyle, I knew it had to be mine. I remember a time when not just one portion of chips and cheese (my absolute favourite ‘dish’) from the local kebab shop would do, I HAD to have two. Needless to say, my greed has caught up with me, and I’ve put on more weight than I’d have liked to over the past year. So, perhaps I should take a little advice from my sweater and cut down the junk food…

The funny thing about this sweater is that the size allows me to eat all the junk food I want without  a care in the world – like I always say, clothes with room for food are the best clothes. But like I mentioned in my Invisalign post, I decided that 2013 was going to be about self-improvement, and making healthier choices definitely falls into that category. I’ve joined the gym, and now it’s time to get serious about my diet too. Perhaps 3 cheeseburgers a week is perhaps a little too many…? ; ) x

Hat - Accessorize | Coat - The Kooples | Sweater - YesStyle
Shirt - Zara | Shoes - ASOS | Bag - Moschino Cheap & Chic

Remember I went to Munich a few weeks ago? My mission was to visit a new fashion community, Stylight, and learn about what they do – trust me, you’ll want to sign up, cause these guys plan on taking on the world!

After arriving in a cold but ever-so-sunny Munich, Lucy and I met Click here for more!]]>

Mode Creation Munich

Remember I went to Munich a few weeks ago? My mission was to visit a new fashion community, Stylight, and learn about what they do – trust me, you’ll want to sign up, cause these guys plan on taking on the world!

After arriving in a cold but ever-so-sunny Munich, Lucy and I met up with the Stylight crew and French bloggers, Celine and Fadela to grab a bite to eat at the cute Cafe Lotti (you must try it if you visit) before heading for a whistle-stop tour around Stylight HQ. So, before I go any further – I’ll explain what they do. On Stylight you can create moodboards containing your looks, quotes, links, music, video and products (phew!) – a great way to promote a blog post to a new audience,  or just a simple way to share what you’ve been wearing alongside a bit of music that matches, or a quote to sum up your look – they are super fun to put together! Anyway, their headquarters, based in the heart of Munich are amazing – think swings, Eames furniture and a room just for napping. The team helped us put together our first boards whilst we sipped on purple cocktails (their signature colour) before it was time to head to dinner.

So, what was I wearing for my first board? My travel outfit – a mixture of cognac, cream and black, with the star of the show being my fail-safe travel companion – a studded MCM backpack. With the brand hailing from Munich, the backpack even has ‘München’ engraved on the hardware, so it made perfect sense to photograph it here. It’s a well-travelled bag, having been to the US and back as well as accompanying me on my trips around Europe, as it’s just the perfect size for my hand luggage or an overnight trip. I call it my Bieber bag, ’cause it’s the favourite of a certain Canadian pop star ; )

Take a look at my first board here! Thanks again to Stylight for showing us a great time! x

Coat - The Kooples | Jumper - ASOS | Skirt - American Apparel 
Boots - Topshop | Hat - ASOS | Bag - MCM